This invention generally relates to ladders having a pair of stabilizer legs which resist lateral swaying or slipping of the ladder, and more particularly concerns novel means of attachment of said stabilizer legs to the ladder.
A commonly used type of ladder is a bipod ladder having a pair of legs of uniform cross-sectional configuration whose interior, facing surfaces support a plurality of equally spaced parallel rungs. The bipod ladder is intended to be leaned against a structure which is intended to be climbed. When properly placed, the ladder is usually relatively stable longitudinally, namely in the vertical plane that bisects the rungs. However, accidents frequently occur because of lateral tipping or slipping movements. Such accidents are particularly likely when the climber is at the top of the ladder.
Considerable attention has been given to the use of lateral buttressing means to stabilize the ladder. Typical buttressing means are disclosed for example in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,676,618; 3,012,628; 3,508,628; 3,878,917; 4,244,446; and 4,519,477. In most instances the lateral buttressing means or safety legs are straight rigid members adapted to extend from each leg diagonally downward toward the ground and within the general plane of the ladder. The safety leg is generally removably or pivotably attached at its upper extremity to an outer face of one of the legs of the ladder, and provision is sometimes made for attaching said upper extremity at adjustable heights along the legs of the ladder.
It is found however, that prior safety legs usually require extensive modification of the ladder with which they are utilized. In other instances, the safety legs are not easily or securely attachable to the legs of the ladder.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide laterally buttressing safety legs for a bipod ladder.
It is another object of this invention to provide safety legs as in the foregoing object having clamp means facilitating adjustable and secure attachment to the legs of said ladder.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide clamp means of the aforesaid nature which enable said safety legs to have pivotal movement about said clamp within the general plane of the ladder.
It is still another object of this invention to provide clamp means of the aforesaid nature of rugged and durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.